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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27491002">Candles and Confetti</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/annetta23/pseuds/annetta23'>annetta23</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Immortal Bond [7]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>The Old Guard (Comics), The Old Guard (Movie 2020)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Fluff, Gay Character, M/M, Romantic Fluff</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-11-10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-11-10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 21:28:00</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>499</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27491002</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/annetta23/pseuds/annetta23</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>This, this should be their destiny too. Nicky felt a tug in his chest when Joe stopped halfway, and asked him to finish blowing the candles together. </p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Joe | Yusuf Al-Kaysani/Nicky | Nicolò di Genova</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Immortal Bond [7]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/2008987</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>68</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Candles and Confetti</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Did immortals celebrate their birthdays?</p><p> </p><p>Yes and no. </p><p> </p><p>They did, when their loved ones were still around to sing and dance with. They did, before their immortality was a known fact. They still did even after that point, sometimes, with deep lonely thoughts to review the highlights and lowlights of the past 365 days.</p><p> </p><p>They didn’t when they simply forgot. Not that it didn’t matter; there’s always something somewhere that Andy and the soldiers could fix. They would be asleep during the day, up and fighting all night, repeat, for what felt like ages.</p><p> </p><p>And the mirror would still show the same person year after year, like "birthday" was a conspiracy concept or a myth.</p><p> </p><p>For this year, Nicky would like to make it a bit different. A bit more current. Nile looked like it’s her birthday instead of Joe’s.</p><p> </p><p>“You know what? Locals here blow candles on cake, but they also do something different on birthdays!” she grinned at her tablet. “They do ‘tumpeng’, a pyramid of turmeric-cooked rice with side dishes like fried chicken and eggs. Yum!”</p><p> </p><p>“Err…” </p><p> </p><p>Nicky tilted his head. That sounded really interesting, but would Joe like that? Should that be their early lunch? He couldn’t be too sure.</p><p> </p><p>Eventually Nile agreed, that they could stick to their original plan. They didn’t even know where to get the rice pyramid, and there’s no way they’re making one. Andy and Book were back from the bakery with a simple triple chocolate cake, Nile was done preparing the punch bowl, and that was Nicky’s que.</p><p> </p><p>“So I can go out now, dear?”</p><p> </p><p>The birthday boy looked too funny. He had been waiting only for like ten minutes instead of a century, but Nicky didn’t mind dramatic Joe. Leading his man out felt like preparing for a battle. Nicky never planned something like this; he wanted something simple yet bright, happy.</p><p> </p><p>He could only trust Nile.</p><p> </p><p>“Happy birthday, Joe!”</p><p> </p><p>Some hidden harmless guns somewhere started spitting confettis, matte and sparkly, falling down on them. Andy never laughed that hard, Booker was blushing while he’s clapping, and Nile was jumping on her feet, saying Joe should blow the little candles quickly.</p><p> </p><p>“Make a wish with me?” Nicky whispered and pulled his man closer, pressing their foreheads together.</p><p> </p><p>They used to believe in Him; maybe they still did, just with much less symbolic rituals, much less awareness. God was like those lit candles; existed but untouchable. Nonetheless, Nicky wanted all the best of the best for Joe, so he closed his eyes and started mentally listing all his dreams and prayers.</p><p> </p><p>Basically everything but a long life. That's already their destiny.</p><p> </p><p>This, this should be their destiny too. Nicky felt a tug in his chest when Joe stopped halfway, and asked him to finish blowing the candles together. </p><p> </p><p>When they finished and Joe whispered softly to his ear,</p><p> </p><p>"I only wished for an eternity with you."</p><p> </p><p>It was a perfect day in a foreign land with familiar faces, indeed.</p>
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